Spark-indicator.



0. B. BR MBR & J L. MOONEY. SPARK INDIUATOB.

APPLHIATIOK FILED DEC. 30, 1912.

1,096,151. PatentedMay12,'1914.

k5 it W wy g (V i M a, w M i UNITED STATES PATENT carton.

I CHARLES D. BREMER AND JOHN L. MOONEY, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SPARK-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed December 30, 1912. Serial No. 739,172.

T 0 all 207101;. it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES D. BREMER and JOHN L. MOONEY, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and.

useful Improvements in Spark-Indicators; and we do hereby declare that the followin is a full, clear, and exact description thereo Our invention consists in what is herein particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims of this specification, its object being to provide for simple, economical switchcontrolled visible indication of the efficiency or non-efliciency of an electric sparking-circuit or circuits of internal-combustion engines, said invention being especially designed as a spark-indicator on an automobile or, motorcycle in view of the operator thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a front elevation of a switch-controlled indicator in accordance with our invention for visibly determining the eiiiciency or non-efficiency of a plurality of electric sparkingcircuits pertaining to a plural-cylinder informal-combustion en ine; Fig. 2, a sectional view of the same inc icated by line 22 in Fig. 1;v Fig. 3, a side elevation of a similar indicator for a like purpose with relation to a single sparking-circuit of a sin le-cylinder internal combustion engine, an Fig. 4:, a horizontal sectional view indicated by line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to Figs. 1 and '2 of the drawings 5 indicates a. switch-board provided with a plurality of forwardly projecting blocks 6, each block being recessed intermediate of its ends and having the recess therein open at the front. Engaging each block and extending into the recess thereof, to thus form a permanently visible spark-gap, visible from the front, are pointed screw-posts 7. Secured between clampnuts 8, 9, on each post adjacent to the ends of the adjacent block, are contact-plates 10 of a knife-switch, and bound between the nuts 9 and other nuts 11, on said screws, are wires 12, 13, of a sparking circuit, openings for the wires being provided in the switchboard. The contact-blade 14. of each switch is pivotally connected to one of the contactplates 10 of said switch, and the make or break of a circuit through the switch is effected by swinglng said blade in or out of frictional engagement with the other contact-plate of said switch. The several switch-blades may be connected by a bar 15 of insulating material, and a handle 16 may be employed in connection with the bar to' facilitate a simultaneous operation of all the blades. The spark-gap in each of the aforesaid circuits is of greater current resistance than the switch in the same circuit. Hence if the switches be closed, the sparkgaps are inoperative, but if said switches be open, the circuits will be completed through said spark-gaps to provide for visible indication of the good or poor sparking quality, or the lack of spark in each circuit due to some interruption of the same or the weakness of a battery or batteries employed to generate the current.

In Figs. 3 and 4, a switch-board 17 is provided with a forwardly projecting concaveblock 1S, and engagin the block is a trans parent cylindrical shell 19 having end-stoppers 20 of insulating material. Extending 'through the stoppers are pointed screwposts 21 by which to form a spark-gap, and these posts also extend through conductorplates 22 held by conductor screws 23 against the block 18 aforesaid. These screws are intercepted by other screws 25% engaging the same block and a notched snitch-blade 25 is pivotal on one of the screws 24 to be swung in and out of contact with the other of the same screws. Opposing the plates 22 on the posts 21 are nuts 26, and wires 27, 28 of a sparking-circuit are caught between said nuts and other nuts 29 on said posts. The spark-gap in the last described form of our indicator is of greater current resistance than the switch. Hence if the switch be closed the spark-gap is inoperative, but said switch being open the circuit is completed through said spark-gap to provide for visible indication of the sparking quality of said circuit or the lack of spark due to conditions similar to those above noted.

The shell 19 serves to shield the points of the posts 21, and it is within the scope of our invention, as herein claimed, to glaze the recesses of the switch-board blocks 6 to sqhiield the points of the posts 6 above speci- The first described form of our indicator is especially designed for the sparking-circuits of a plural cylinder internal combustionengine of an automobile, there being a switch and spark-gap in each of said circuits. The other form ofindicator is especially designed for inclusion in the sparking-circuit of a single cylinder internalcombustion engine of a motorcycle.

The"switch-board of either form of the indicator is permanently attachable by screws or otherwise to some portion of an automobile orof a motorcycle forward of the driver of the vehicle, and in such position that the switch-blade or a handle common to two or more switch-blades of said indicator is within convenient reach of said driver facing the sparkgap or spark-gaps aforesaid.

We claim:

1. The combination of a switch-board provided with spaced apart forward insulating projections, spark-gap posts extendinn through said switch-board projections into the space between the same, an electricswitch having contacts thereof in connection with the posts, and, terminal wires of an electric-circuit also connected to said posts,

-' the closed switch being of less resistance than the spark-gap.

2. The combination of a switch-board provided with a forwardly projecting insulilting block having afront open recess between its ends, spark-gapposts inthe block extending into said recess ofthe same, an electric-switch having contacts thereof in connection with 'the posts, and terminal Wires of an electriecircuit also connected to said posts, the closed switch being-of less rea.

sistance than the spark-gap.

3. The combination of a switch-board provided with space d apart insulating proections inpairs, sparkgappo sts extending I through each pairof SaId'SWItCh-bOaId ID 40 1ections into the space between the 'same,-.

electric-switches each having contacts in connection with a pair of the posts, terminal 'wires'of an electric-circuitalso connected to the same posts, and means in commonwith all the switches for simultaneous opening and closing of the same, the closed switches being of less resistance than the spark-gaps.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands at Mil- AUG. C. SEHRT, ETTA SCHROEDER. 

